Tag: microsoft

Server-side JavaScript (SSJS), we are being told, again, will deliver the web’s new and brighter future; a future that, apparently, looks just like the parts of Microsoft’s 1996 that no one cared about.

In 1996 Microsoft had comprehensive support for JavaScript on the server. You had Active Server Pages for the web, and Windows Scripting Host for systems automation. Both technologies had built-in support for JavaScript as a first-class language.

No one gave a shit.

In 2001 Microsoft released JScript.NET, a version of JavaScript on steroids. It was highly optimized for server-side development, and was promoted as a first class language along-side C# and VB.NET; it was especially promoted for ASP.NET web applications.

No one gave a shit then either.

Microsoft still ships classic ASP and the WSH, and both still support JavaScript. They also have continued to release new versions of JScript.NET, though these days they just call it JScript 10.0.

It isn’t as if Microsoft was the only one to do viable SSJS implementations over the years either, and universally they have all failed to generate prolonged interest. JavaScript has come a long way over the years, but there hasn’t been a significant change in the language to makes it suddenly more appropriate for server-side scenarios. The best that can be said is that JavaScript doesn’t suck as bad as it used to.

But now, after 15 years of apathy towards server-side javascript, suddenly people can’t seem to stop talking about it! Projects like node.js, Helma, and Jaxer (just to name three) are getting a lot of press. I’ve even heard 2011 called “the year of server-side JavaScript” by some. Node.js seems to be getting the lion’s share of the attention, and there is even a .NET clone of it called node.net (WTF!?!?! Really?)

The irony is almost maddening!

Also, don’t buy this nonsense about re-using the same skills on both the client and the server. That was exactly the same marketing used for JavaScript on old ASP back in 1996.

JavaScript was my first language, and I was one of those few who wrote classic ASP in it. My excuse was that I’d be reusing my existing investment in JavaScript. Take it from me… the skill-reuse argument is pure bullshit.

The actual “skill” in JavaScript is in learning the (horrible) HTML object model and client libraries. None of that translates to the server, so all you keep is the C style language syntax. So, why not just use actual C, or one of the dozens of popular, and more server-appropriate, languages with a C derived syntax?

Despite all the history though, it’s clear that node.js in particular has gained some impressive traction. There are a ton of rapidly evolving modules for it along with a growing and enthusiastic developer community.

So, maybe Server-Side JavaScript’s time has finally arrived this time. I personally hope it’s just a fad though. I’d much rather see all this effort get put into bringing real programming languages to the browser (like Google’s Native Client does).